At the Basic Court in Prishtina, the Wednesday hearing in the case where Bedri Shabani and Muharrem Qerimi are accused of espionage was closed to the public. This followed a request by Shabani’s defense attorney, Besnik Berisha.
In addition to espionage charges, Qerimi is also accused of illegal possession of weapons, reports Betimi për Drejtësi.
Berisha requested the session to be closed so that expert witnesses could discuss findings from the psychiatric evaluation of Shabani.
“To protect Bedri Shabani’s dignity and privileged information, which legally cannot be shared without his consent, we propose that this part of the judicial review be held behind closed doors,” said Berisha.
The presiding judge, Rrahman Beqiri, approved the request by majority vote, and the session was closed.
Previously, a hearing scheduled for November 20, 2025, was canceled because Shabani was ordered to undergo a psychiatric examination.
The Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo (SPRK) confirmed the indictment in both the Basic and Appeals Courts.
Charges Against Shabani and Qerimi
On February 19, 2025, the SPRK filed charges against Shabani and Qerimi, alleging they collected and sent information and documents to the Serbian Intelligence Agency (BIA) concerning the Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK), its members and leaders, the Kosovo Police, the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (AKI), and the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo (IPK), as well as specific events and sites, including the Reçak massacre.
The prosecution claims their actions aimed to:
- Cause widespread interethnic conflict in Kosovo
- Create false narratives linking the UÇK Military Hospital to “Yellow House” in Albania, alleging organ trafficking
- Cast doubt on the truth of the Reçak massacre
Bedri Shabani
Shabani is accused of assisting the Serbian Intelligence Agency (BIA) by collecting and transmitting information about the UÇK, specific sites (like the UÇK Military Hospital in Mollopolc, Shtime), and the Reçak massacre. He allegedly provided this information to Sërgjan Rosić, a senior BIA official, and Colonel Bogoljub Janičević, former Serbian Police Commander in Ferizaj, via phone, email, and in-person meetings in Serbia.
Legal charge: Espionage under Article 124, paragraph 3 of the Penal Code.
Muharrem Qerimi
Qerimi is accused of assisting the BIA from 2012 until his arrest on June 5, 2024, by transmitting information about the UÇK, Kosovo Police, AKI, IPK, and known witnesses in the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague. He allegedly shared these details with Sërgjan Rosić through phone calls and in-person meetings in Serbia.
Qerimi is additionally accused of illegal possession of weapons, after authorities found the following during a court-ordered search on June 5, 2024:
- One “Ekol Tuna” pistol
- One magazine and six bullets
- Twenty bullets marked 11/53
- Four other magazines with crescent and circle markings
Legal charges:
- Espionage (Article 124, paragraph 3)
- Illegal possession, control, or ownership of weapons (Article 366, paragraph 1)
